Whats your 'can't live without'?

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I am no good to anyone and that includes myself until I've had my morning cup, or rather mug, of coffee!

Instant is hmmm ok IF it isn't a mega cheap, value, own brand kind of dishwater. Ground coffee is mmmmm but the bits to clear up afterwards are a pain. Coffee bags THE best breakfast invention EVER and no mess! Hot, strong, sweet, white indulgence. I'm in heaven once a day. Special occasions sometimes I sneak a tot of rum into it too. I;ve never tried dunking a croissant...yet...but maybe very soon

We never have biscuits with early morning tea. It's usually followed by a breakfast of porridge, or muesli, or Morridge (a mixture of cooked muesli & porridge), or Borridge (a mixture of bulgar wheat and porridge oats), or something like that.

Occasionally we have a biscuit with 11 o'clock tea, but neither of us dunk. We always look a bit sideways at people who do...

("What a Dunker!") It sounds like a Daily Mirror headline!

Afternoon tea (That sounds posh, doesn't it?) takes place anytime between 4 pm and 5 pm, depending what time of year it is, and what we're doing. Tea is then taken with a slice or two of fruity bread, or biscuits, or more rarely, but deliciously, a slice of cake.

When my parents were here and Dad went to work some days at 4am Mum would make tea and toast whilst Dad dressed etc. Ordinary days it was tea and toast/cereal at breakfast, tea and biscuits - no dunking - mid morning, lunch and tea 12.30, tea mid afternoon, 5pm sarnies and cake with tea, tea around 7pm,.....the pot was ALWAYS topped up with hot water so we could have a second or even third cup/mug at EVERY occasion! They would always drink from a china cup as Mum said it never tasted the same from anything else.

Oh ALWAYS milk in the cup first before tea, and warm the pot first adding one teabag per person plus one for the pot.

I grew up with this BUT this was the minimum per day and tea was often had between these times and always when friends or family popped round!

We have to put the kettle on if anyone drops in; even her grumpy brother gets a cup - or a mug if he's lucky.

Yes, We always put milk in first too. Dunno if it makes any difference. I guess it's what you are brought up with, and it becomes part of the tea-making routine.

As a kid, we had a kitten that would drink tea if you didn't keep an eye on where you put the cup. Sometimes we kids quietly gave it cool tea in a saucer, on the sly. After lapping it up it would sit quiet for five minutes, then it would run up the curtains like a mad thing, and along the pelmet bit at the top. Don't know if the caffeine or theine in tea affects cats, but it certainly looked like it!

The best we can do is try to buy tea that is supposedly from companies who pay their workers living wages, and buy organic milk when we can. Can't talk about the sugar because we don't use it much, in tea or anything else apart from occasional jam-making. (A spoon of local honey in a mug of tea used to make a great pick-me-up after a few hours of physical work, years ago!).

I need to have new things in my life and need to travel to keep my active mind in a happy place. I would probably adapt to other lifestyles,but travel,freedom and natures best are fairly essential for me.

Ah, yes! That is one thing that has greatly improved since I was a kid - toilet paper.

Do any of you remember the smooth Izal stuff? No good for wiping, only good for a final polish.... bits of cut-up newspaper did a better job!

Toilet paper was rationed in our primary school in the 1950's - two sheets were all that was given by the strict mistress. You had to be careful how you used them, or you'd be batting on a sticky wicket.

WTF use that Izal stuff was I dont know. My father -being the tight twat he was -insisted on only that or newspaper. One was always careful to avoid the photograph sections of newsprint or one got a black arse.

I was glad to leave home at 18 and be able to buy my own Andrex regularly as opposed to occasional when working part time....only to find the wretched Izal in use in the services.

My grandfather was still using Izal up to when he died at 82 in the 90's. I never fathomed why as there was always softer alternatives as my grandmother wouldnt use it.

Henry VIII, apparently, sat upon his ''throne'' and when ''done'' a poor little guy went underneath the seat with a wet cloth on a stick to make the King clean and fresh once more.....think I'd rather use Izal!!!

Henry VIII, apparently, sat upon his ''throne'' and when ''done'' a poor little guy went underneath the seat with a wet cloth on a stick to make the King clean and fresh once more.....think I'd rather use Izal!!!

I have always believed that royalty used a swans neck for this purpose ?